braun



Oct. 7, 1958 K J, BRAUN Re. 24,547

TAG-MARKING AND FORMING MACHINE l2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Sppt.12. 1950 INVENfOR. KARL u. BRAUN A TTORNE Y Oct. 7, 1958 K. .1. BRAUNTAG-MARKING AND FORMING MACHINE v Re. 24,547

12 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filad Sept. 12, 1950 INVENTOR. KA-RL J. BRAUNBY ATTORNEY Oct. 7, 1958 K. J. BRAUN TAG-MARKING AND FORMING umcnmzOriginal Filed Sept. 12. 1950 12 sheetssheet 3 KARL q. BRAUN BY ATTORNEYOct. 7, 1958 K. J.\BRAUN Re. 24,547

TAG-MARKING AND FORMING MACHINE Original Filed Sept. 12, 1950 12Sheets-Sheet 4 -n r 8 (3 Q m 3 INVENTOR. .33 KARL J. BRAUN F BY 4,; t

ATTORNEY.

Oct. 7, 1958 K. J. BRAUN TAG-MARKING AND FORMING MACHINE ori inal FiledSept. 12. 1950 12 sheds-sheet 5 K. J. BRAUN TAG-MARKING AND FORMINGMACHINE Original Filed Sept. 12. 1950 Oct. 7, 1958 12 Sheets-Sheet 6INVENTOR KARL J BRAUN ATTORNEY.

Oct. 7, 1958 K. J. BRAUN 1 4,

TAG-MARKING AND FORMING MACHINE Original Filed Sept. 12. 1950 12Sheets-Sheet KARL .1. BRAUN ATTORNEY.

INVENTOR.

Oct. 7, 1958 i K. J. BRAUN Re. 24,547

TAG-MARKING AND FORMING MACHINE Original Filed Sept. 12. 1950 12Sheets-Sheet 8 INVEN TOR. KARL J. BRAUN BYW ATTORNEY.

Oct. 7, 1958 K. J. BRAUN mc-mxmcmmnumcmcnmn 12 Sheets-Sheet 9 OriginalFiled Sept. 12, 1950 aecslvme REPORT MW; one M150.

NAM

ORDER M2 [470 f s& v

COLOR DESCRIPTION MFGJIQ STYLE Q 7254 225 I00 W54 50 9'254 m5 .200

o i so 0000 oooo 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 000 0 0000 0000 0000 B LA N K mmvrok.

. KARL J. BRAUN BYC ATTORNEY ZZGMOSIHMJ 10% Oct. 7, 1958 K. J. BRAUN ITAG-MARKING AND FORMING MACHINE Original Filed Sept. 12. 1950 12Sheets-Sheet 10 IN VBV TOR.

KARL J. BRAUN "dflw agw ATTORNEY.

Oct. 7, 1958 v KTJJBRAUN uc-umgmc m: FORMING wxcams:

ori inal Filed Sept. 12. 1950 12 Sheets-Sheet 11 M w -M m Wm M I I m 6 am m m IN VHV TOR.

v E Wm 0 n A L R A K Oct. 7, 1958 K. J. BRAuN Re. 24,

TAG-MARKING AND FORMING MACHINE Original Filed Sept. 12. 1950 12Sheets-Sheet 12 I awn/1'01; KARL J. BRAUN w 0 6 2 v ATTORNEY.

For the purpose of this general description, let it be assumed that onehundred single part tags are to be prepared for each skating skirtlisted on the first line of the receiving report B with printed andperforated information such as the date; manufacturers number; style ofthe skirts; color; order number; size; price, etc. In the presentmachine, there are thirty columns of information and thirty keys in thekeyboard, or one key for each column of information, with each columnrepresented by a four-hole code, such for example, as the code shown inFig. 17.

To enter information into the keyboard, for instance, the example abovegiven, three key levers are set to represent the date 650, four keylevers are set to represent the manufacturers number 9854, three keylevers are set to values corresponding to the style 225, etc., until alldesired information has been entered into the keyboard. When thekeyboard set-up has thus been completed, the printing and perforatinginstrumentalities have also been simultaneously set accordingly. Thecounter is now set for 100 tags, and upon depression of the startingbutton 161 the machine will operate continuously until 100 identicaltags have been printed and punched according to the information set inthe key board.

It may be pointed out at this time that a completely printed andperforated single part tag is ejected from the machine at the end ofeach machine cycle after the sixth cycle for reasons later explained.

FRAMING An understanding of the mechanism of this tag-marking machinewill be facilitated by first considering the frame-work. The machine hasa main frame and several detachable units or assemblies.

The main frame has for its principal members a base plate 1 (Figs. 2 and3), a left-hand side plate 2, a righthand side plate 3, and severaltransverse connecting bars 4 secured at their ends to the side plates 2and 3.

The frame for the keyboard section, printing wheels, differentiallymovable actuators, punch gags, transfer pinions etc., comprises tworelatively narrow side plates 5 and 6 which are joined by a plurality oftransverse connecting bars 7, some of which are clearly shown in Figs. 3and 4. V This frame is pivotally mounted in the back part of the machinebetween the main side plates 2 and 3 upon short studs 3, projectinginwardly from said plates. This enables the keyboard frame andassociated parts to be swung upwardly about the pivot studs 8, asclearly illustrated in Fig. 3, for ready access to the interior of themachine during adjustment, inspection or repairs.

KEYBOARD SECTION As previously mentioned, from one to thirty columns ofinformation may be entered into the keyboard of the present machine.Accordingly, there are thirty sliding keys, all of which projectupwardly through narrow slots 10 in the keyboard plate 11 as best shownin Fig. 2. The plate 11 is spaced above and parallel to the keyboardframe plates 5 and 6, and is supported by a plurality of spacers 12suitably secured between the plate and several of the connecting bars 7,as best illustrated in Fig. 18. For convenience in describing the thirtykeys, they will be considered in groups of' six, and with reference toFigs. 2, 4 and 5, the first group of six keys are designated byreference numeral 13, the second group of six keys by numeral 14, thethird group of six keys by numeral 15,

the fourth group of six keys by numeral 16, and the .fifth group of sixkeys by numeral 17. Each key in the groups 13 to 16 respectively has adifferentially movable actuator or slide '18, and each key in the-group17 has an associated differentially movable actuatoror slide 20. Eachactuator slide 18 has'rack teeth 21 on its lower edge and these teethare in permanent mesh with the gear teeth 4 22, of its respective typewheel 23, as clearly shown in Figs. 10 and 18. The upper edge of eachactuator slide 13 is provided with eleven V-shaped detent notches 24which cooperate with a spring pressed detent 25 (see Fig. 6) toselectively hold the actuator slide in any one of eleven positions towhich it may be shifted by its associated key. All of the actuatorslides 18 and 20 respectively, are supported and guided horizontally byfour of the cross bars 7 and guided vertically by combs 26, the latterbeing attached to the lower cross bars 7, by screws 27, as best shown inFig. 5.

It will now be observed from Figs. 3 and 4, that the present machine hastwenty-four actuators 18, each having an extension transfer rack 28connected therewith and provided with rack teeth 30 on its upper edge.The teeth 30 are permanently meshed with an associated transfer pinion31 fast on a pinion shaft 32. Similarly, there are twenty-fourdifierentially movable gag bars 33, or one gag bar for each actuator18'. Each gag bar 33 has an extension transfer rack 34 provided withrack teeth 35 which mesh with an associated transfer pinion 36 on itsrespective pinion shaft 32.

It will now be understood that whenever an actuator 18 or 20 is moveddifferentially by its associated key lever, an associated gag bar 33 or34 will be differentially moved in unison therewith, through theassociated transfer extension racks 28, 34, 42 and 45, transfer pinions31 and 36 and pinion shafts 32 respectively, as best illustrated in Fig.10.-

Each actuator slide 20 has rack teeth 37, cut in its lower edge, whichmesh with gear teeth 38 of its respective type wheel 40, as clearlyshown in Fig. 10. The upper edge of each actuator slide 20 is providedwith eleven V-shaped detent notches 41, which cooperate with one of thespring pressed detents 2.5, to selectively hold said actuator slide inany one of eleven positions to which it may be shifted by its associatedkey 17. Each actuator slide 20 has an extension transfer rack 42connected therewith having rack teeth 43 on its upper edge. The teeth 43are in mesh with an associated transfer pinion 31 fast on its particularpinion shaft 32.

PRINTING SECTION By a study of the tag shown in Fig. 16 it will beobserved that printing takes place at three different stations or lines,indicated at C, D and E, and each line is printed during a differentcycle of the machine as will presently appear in connection with Fig.14. The present machine has twenty-four printing wheels designated 23(see Fig. 3) and six printing wheels designated 40. All of the printingwheels 23 are rotatably journaled upon a common shaft 47 one end ofwhich is mounted in a block 48 secured to the lower edge of side plate5, and the other end of which is mounted in a plate 50 mounted betweenthe bars 7 as best shown in Fig. 3. The siX printing Wheels designated40 are rotatably journaled upon a common shaft 52 which is supported bya similar block 48 attached to the lower edge of frame plate 51 at oneend and at the other end by the plate 50. Shaft 52 is located forwardlyin the machine relative to shaft 47, or to the right of shaft 47 asshown by dotted lines in Fig. 8, in order to space the printing effectedby printing wheels 40 from the printing effected by printing wheels 23.

In order to effect printing at two different places, or stations C and Dupon the tags, by the twenty-four printing wheels 23, the typecharacters 53 on twelve of the twenty-four wheels are radially spacedfrom the type character 54 on the remaining twelve printing wheels asbest shown in Fig. 3.

.RIBBON FEED AND REVERSING MECHANISM As above mentioned, printing takesplace at three dif- 'ferent zones upon each tag as clearly indicated atC, D and E, and for this reason the inked ribbon 55 (see Fig.

8) is fed in one direction beneath the printing wheels 23, and in anopposite direction beneath the printing wheels 40, as will be understoodfrom the following detailed description of the ribbon mechanism. As bestillustrated in Figs. 2, 7 and 8, two shafts 56 and 57, projectingoutwardly from the plate 49, rotatably support the ribbon spools 58 and59 and ratchet wheels 60 and 61 respectively. Ratchet wheel 60 is fiXedfor rotation with ribbon spool 58 and ratchet wheel 61 is fixed forrotation with ribbon spool 59. When spool 58 is driven to wind up theribbon 55, spool 59 is free to pay out the ribbon,

and conversely when spool 59 is driven to wind up the' ribbon, spool 58is free to pay out the ribbon.

The ratchet wheels 60 and 61 are driven by feed pawls 62 and 63respectively, but the construction is such that only one ratchet wheelcan be driven at a time as will now be described. Pawl 62 and the upperend of link 64, are pivoted at 65 to driven lever 66, and the lower endof link 64 is pivoted upon a stud 67 projecting sidewardly from plate49. Also pivotally mounted upon stud 67 is a lever 68 having two arms 70and 71. A spring 72 has one end attached to arm 71 and its other endanchored upon a stud 73 projecting from the driven lever 66. This springserves to normally bias the arm 70 towards the ribbon spool 58.

Similarly, pawl 63 and the upper end of link 74 are pivoted at 75 to thedriven lever 66, and the lower end of said link 74 is pivoted upon astud 76 also projecting sidewardly from the plate 49. A second lever 77having two arms 78 and 80 is pivotally mounted upon the stud 76, and thearm 78 is normally biased toward the spool 59 by a spring 81, the upperend of which spring is anchored to stud 82 on lever 66, and its lowerend is connected to arm 80, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 7.

A pair of detent pawls 83 and 84, pivotally mounted upon the plate 49 bystuds 85, cooperate with the feed pawls 62 and 63 respectively toprevent any retrograde movement of the ratchet wheels 60 and 61 whilethey are being driven. Each detent pawl 83'84 is positioned above itsrespective feed pawl 62-63, and the construction is such that when afeed pawl is held inoperative by the toggle arm 86, its respectivedetent pawl is also held inoperative as clearly illustrated in Fig. 7.The toggle arm 86 is pivoted upon a stud 87, which projects from thedriven lever 66, and a U-shaped spring 88 serves to hold the toggle arm86 either on one side or the other of pivot stud 87 until its positionis reversed by the action of one or the other of the two ears 79 and 89of arms 71 and 80 respectively. The spring 88 is anchored at its twoends by pins 90 and 91, pin 90 being mounted on the toggle arm 86 andpin 91 mounted on the driven lever 66. The feed pawls 62- 63 arenormally urged into engagement with their respective ratchet wheels 60and 61 by a spring 92 the ends of which are anchored to the feed pawlsas clearly shown.

As illustrated in Fig. 7, the ribbon feed mechanism is set for feedingthe ribbon 55 from spool 58 to spool 59. With the parts in' thisposition it will be observed that toggle arm 86 is holding the feed pawl62 and detent pawl 83 inoperative, or free from their ratchet 60, whilefeed'pawl 63 and detent pawl 84 are permitted to engage with theirratchet 61.

To oscillate the driven lever 66' there is provided a drive arm 93 whichis pivoted intermediate its ends upon astud 94 mounted on the left sideplate 2. The lower end of arm 93 carries a roller 95 which is heldengaged with the periphery of a cam 96 by a spring 98. The cam 96is fastupon main shaft 97 for rotation therewith. The upper end of arm 93 ispivotally connected to driven lever 66 by a shoulder stud 99.

It will now be clear that whenever main shaft 97 is rotated, arm 93 willbe oscillated upon its pivot 94 by cam 96 and roller 95, and lever- 66will be oscillated fore and aft of the machine. As before mentioned,when the ribbon drive is set in the position shown in 6 Fig. 7, ribbon55 is being wound upon spool 59 and unwe aa from spool 58. It willmaster-"e be obvious that as the fibb'on "55 gradually builds up upo'nspool 59, arm 78 will cause lever 77 to rotate counterclockwise upon itspivot 76, and as theribbon is gradually removed from spool 58, spring 72will cause lever 68 to rotate counterclockwise upon its pivot 67 to movecar 79 upwardly into the path of finger portion 100, of toggle arm 86.According'ly, when ear 79 is elevated into the path of finger 100,toggle arm 86 is caused to flip clockwise on its pivot 87 to disengagefeed pawl 63 and detent pawl 84 from ratchet 61, and engage feed pawl 62and detent pawl 83 with ratchet 60, thus reversing the ribbon feed sothat ribbon 55 will now be wound upon spool 58 and unwound from spool59.

TAG FEEDING MECHANISM Before describing the tag feeding mechanism indetail, a brief description of one form of tag will be given inconnection with Figs. 14 and 16. The tags to be used with the presentmachine are preferably, but not necessarily, supplied in continuousstrip or web [form] made up of individual tag parts, as shown in Fig. l,with the [tags] tag par'ts severed from one another except for the landsindicated at 106 as shown in Fig. 14. Each tag part may be supplied withan attaching string 107, looped through the hole 108, and preprintedwith any desired data such as a company name indicated at 110 and, inthe present example, with the word Size and a bracket as clearly shownin Fig. 16. The string end of each tag part has its left hand corner cutoff as indicated at 111, and both corners at the opposite end are cutoff as indicated at 112. By cutting off the corners of the [tags] tagpairs in this fashion, spaced notches are formed to enable a continuousweb or strip of [tags] tag parts to be intermittently and successivelyfed through the machine by the tag feeding mechanism, now to bedescribed in detail, attention being directed especially to Fig; 9.

A pair of claw-like feeding bars 113 and 114, having spaced teeth 115and 116 respectively, are moved toward and from each other fore and 'aftof the machine and reciprocated in unison transversely of the machine,when feeding tags T through the machine. The tag feeding bars 113 and114 are provided with stub shafts 11 7 and 118 respectively. The stubshafts 117 slidably fit within slots in the upper end of a pair oflevers 119 and 120, which levers are pivotally supported at their lowerend by a cross shaft 121 mounted in the side frames 2 and 3. Similarly,the stub shafts 118 slidably fit within, slots in the upper end of asecond pair of levers 122 and 123,

which are fast upon a suitably journaled transverse shaft 124. A- link125 pivotally connected at one end to lever 119, above the pivot shaft121, and pivotally connected at its other end to lever 122 below thepivot shaft 124, serves to move the feedingbars 113-114 toward and fromeach other when levers I19, 120, 122 and 123 are rocked on theirrespective pivot shafts I21 124. The means for rockingthe levers 119120and 122 123 comprises a roller 126 rotatably mounted near the lower endof lever 119 and held against the periphery of cam 127, fast on the mainshaft 97, by a spring 128. It will now be understood that during eachrevolution of main shaft 97 and cam 127,- feeding bars. 113 114 will becaused to move towards eachother to engage and feed the [tags] tag partsT, and then be moved away from each other to disengage the tags.

In addition to the feeding bars being moved longitudinally of themachine,,as just described, they are also simultaneously movedtransversely of the machine by the following mechanism. A cam 129 faston main shaft 97, adjacent cam 127, drives a roller 130' which isrotatably carried by the lower end of gear segment 131. This segmentisfast-on-one entlof a longitudinal shaft 132' and its gear teeth are inpermanent sliding mesh with a' rack v p r 24,547

133 fixed to the feeding bar 113. A second gear segof the punch sectionof the machine.

PUNCH SECTION- It has been previously pointed out that the presentmachine is designed for thirty columns of information, and

that this information is represented by a four hole code as indicated inFig. 17. It follows therefore that the present machine has one hundredand twenty punches 145 and a like number of pins 135. The punches andtheir associated pins are arranged in two distinct groups, one grouphaving ninety six punches and a like number of pins and the other grouphaving twenty four punches and a like number of pins. In the presentembodiment, the group of twenty four punches are utilized to punch theprice, in code, at the bottom of the tags T as shown in Figs. 14 and 16while the group of ninety six punches are used to punch the other datain the tag, in code, such as manufacturer number, date, etc. aspreviously described. This arrangement of punches is merely illustrativeand is not to be interpreted in a limiting sense.

Referring now to Figs. 19, 20 and 21, the pins designated 135, aremounted for axial movement between a pair of horizontal plates 136,fastened to a pair of vertical plates 137, by screws 138. The plates 137are in turn supported by spacers 139 (Fig. 21) attached to the punchblock 140. Mounted between the bottom plate 136 and punch block 140is astationary plate 141 carried by a pair of cross bars 142. The bars inturn, are supported by and fixed to the machine side plates 2 and 3respectively as shown best in Fig. 21. A stripper plate 143 is securedto the underside of stationary plate 141 by screws 144 to cooperate withthe headed end of the punches 145 to withdraw them from the tags T in amanner well known to those skilled in the art.

Punch block 140 is supported by and spaced from a bed plate 146 which inturn is carried by a box-like frame F comprising two end walls 147 andthree transverse walls 148, 149 and 150 respectively. A slide 151 (seeFigs. 18

and 21) is provided for each end wall 147, and both slides are mountedfor vertical sliding movement within guideways 152, carried by the sideplates 2 and 3 respectively. Means are provided for positively raisingand lowering the slides 151 for each revolution of main shaft 97. Theslides in turn raise and lower the box-like frame F, feed arms 113114,punch block 140 and pin frame 136-137. This means comprises a pair oflevers 153 pivotally mounted upon studs 9 projecting inwardly from themain side plates 2 and 3 respectively. The bifurcated ends of levers 153have rollers 154 which cooperate with the periphery of complementarycams 155 respectively fast on the main shaft 97. The forward forked endof levers 153 operatively receive pins 156 projecting inwardly from thelower end of slides 151.

MAIN SHAFT Main shaft 97 is rotatably journaled in suitable bear- ,162is caused to rock clockwise upon its pivot 163 as viewed in Fig. 18 tolower link 164 thus engaging the clutch 159 to operatively connect motor.M with main shaft 97.

shown in the exploded view Fig. 13.

- 8 CQUNTER MECHANISM The counter mechanism of the present machine isdesigned to control the number of tags to be printed and perforated withinformation set up in the keyboard. As to whether these tags are singlepart tags, double part tags, triple part tags or quadruple part tagsdepends upon the setting of hand dial 165 shown best in Fig. 11. Thisdial may be considered the tag make-up control and in turn controls thefeeding of the counter dials 166 and cut-off punches 199 in a manner nowto be described.

The counter unit shown in Figs. 11 and 12 comprises three dialsindicated at 166, each of which have numerals zero to nine on theirperiphery. Each of the three dials has a ten toothed ratchet 167 and apair of discs 168 and 1 .39 fixed for rotation therewith. The disc 169and its notch 171 serve as the carry control between the dials 166 inthe conventional and well known manner. When dials 166 are set in theirzero position, the toothed ends of three levers 172 are engaged with thenotches in discs 168, and said levers are made rigid with one another torock in unison upon a. shaft 173 projecting inwardly from the right handside plate 3. The right hand lever 172 has a downwardly and rearwardlyprojecting arm 174, the free'end of which is bifurcated to receive astud 175, carried by a two armed lever 176, the latter being pivotallymounted upon a shaft 177 also carried by the right hand side plate 3.The lower arm of lever 176 has an inwardly projecting pin 178 whichserves to engage and disengage the feed end of lever 179, with a feedingratchet wheel 180. Lever 179 is held against pin 178 by a spring 109. Itmay now be pointed out that when all of the dials 1.66 are set at zero,the feeding end of lever 179 is held out of engagement with ratchetwheel 180 by pin 178, and that when any one or all of the dials 166 aremoved out of Zero position, levers 172 will be rocked counterclockwiseon their pivot shaft 173, which in turn rocks the two-armed lever 176clockwise on its pivot shaft 177 to engage the feed end of lever 179with ratchet wheel 180.

Fixed for rotation with ratchet wheel 180, on shaft 177, are four cams181, 182, 183 and 184 respectively as best shown in Figs. 11 and l3. Cam181 has twelve notches on its periphery, cam 182 six notches, cam 183fourth notches and cam 184 three notches as clearly Cooperating with thefour cams, are four levers 185, 186, 187 and 188 respectively which arepivoted at 189 to the vertical arms of hell cranks 190 and 193respectively as shown in Fig. ll. The levers to 188 are beneath and invertical alignment with said cams 181 to 184 respectively, and theirbifurcated ends receive a shaft 194 carried by the bell cranks 195. Thebell cranks 195 are pivotally mounted upon a shaft 196 extendinginwardly from right hand side frame 3, and carry a second shaft 197which actuates a notched cut-off slide 198 for controlling the tagcut-01f punches 199 as will presently be explained.

By a study of Figs. 11 and 13 it will be seen that a four sided cam20!), fast upon the shaft of dial 165, has four staggered cam faces 201spaced 90 apart which are beneath and in vertical alignment with thebell cranks to 193 respectively. The construction is such that whensingle part tags are desired, dial 165 is set at the number oneposition, when two part tags are desired, dial 165 is set at the numbertwo position, and so on. To illustrate, when dial 165 is set at thenumber one position, the cam surface 201 in alignment with bell crank190 rocks said bell crank clockwise (Fig. 11) on its pivot shaft 202which in turn raises the toothed end of lever 185 into operativeengagement with one of the twelve notches in cam 181. It will now beclear that each time the toothed end of lever 185 passes from one notchin cam 181, to the next notch, lever 185 will be rocked upon its pivot189 and in turn will rock bell cranks counterclockwise to shift thenotched cut-elf slide 198. Whenever the notches 203 in slide 198 aremoved out of 9 registration with the cut-off punches 199 (which positionis shown in Fig. 11), a complete tag is severed from the web being fedinto the right hand side of the machine. The punches 199, Fig. 13,operate to remove the lands 106, Fig. 14, Ieavi'ngnotches 105 in thesevered tag parts.

The feed lever 179, previously referred to, is elevated and lowered foreach revolution of main shaft 97 by earn 204 fast on the main shaft 97and a roller 205 on one illld of a pivoted lever 206, as clearlyillustrated in Fig.

It is desirable to stop feeding the continuous web of tags when all ofthe counter dials 166 reach their zero or home position. This isaccomplished by lifting the entering end of the continuous web out ofthe path of feeding bars 113 and 114 by mechanism now described inconnection with Fig. 11. The entering end of continuous web W passesbetween a pair of parallel plates 207 and 208 mounted upon one end of alever 209 which lever is pivoted upon the side plates 3. The lever 209is held in its lowered position by a pivoted latch 210, and a link 211has its forward end pivotally connected to the upper end of said latch210, and its rearward end pivotally connected with one arm of a bellcrank 212 which is pivoted upon the cam shaft 177. The bell crank 212has a second arm 213 in vertical alignment with the top end of feedlever 179. It will be remembered that when any counter dial 166 is awayfrom Zero or home position, feed lever 179 is engaged with ratchet 180,and when said lever is thus engaged with said ratchet, it will clear thearm 213 during its upward or feeding stroke. However, as soon 'as all ofthe dials 166 are normalized, or reach their zero home position, pin 178will act to disengage lever 179 from ratchet 180 and move said leverbeneath arm 213, so that upon its next upward or feeding stroke, it willstrike arm 213 thereby rocking bell crank 212 counterclockwise on itspivot 177. This movement of hell crank 212, through link 211, rockslatch 210 counterclockwise on its pivot, to release lever 209, whereuponit is elevated by a spring 214. This elevating, or upward movement oflever 209, carries the plates 207 and 208 upwardly thereby lifting theentering end of continuous web W, free of the feeding bars 113 and 114.

It has been previously explained that whenever any of the counter dials166 are manually moved away from their home or zero position, lever 179is engaged with ratchet wheel 180 to rotate the cams 181 to 184respectively. The means for returning the dials to zero position, digitby digit will now be described in connection with Fig. 11.

The construction of this mechanism is such that the counter dials areactuated only upon movement of the bell cranks 195 and cut-off slide198. Thus, if dial 165 is set for a single part tag, the counter andcut-off slide will be operated once for every machine cycle, but whenthe dial 165 is set at the number two position, for a two part tag, thecounter and cut-off slide will be operated only once for every twomachine cycles and so forth. In this way the counter can be set for adefinite predetermined number of tags regardless of whether they are tobe one, two, three or four part tags according to the setting of dial165.

The counter shown in the present embodiment includes but three counterdials 166. These dials will be considered as the units, tens andhundreds positions. For each dial 166 there is a feed pawl 2116 to feedits associated ratchet 167. The pawls 216 are pivotally mounted upon ashaft 217 carried by a U-shaped lever 218, and the feeding end of eachpawl is held in engagement with its ratchet 167, by a spring 219, oneend of which is anchored to the lower end of the pawl and the other endto a rod 220 carried by the lever 218. The U-shaped lever 218 ispivotally supported by an elongated shaft 221 projecting inwardly fromthe right hand side plate 3. An adjustable link 222 is pivotallyconnected at its upper end to arm 174 and at its lower end to shaft 197partied by the bell cranks 195. A second link 223 is connected betweenthe shaft 194 and rod 220. Each ratchet 167 has a spring pressed detentpawl 224 which serves to hold the counter dials '166 against anyretrograde movement between feeding strokes of the pawls 216, and to theposition to which they are manually set for counting purposes.

When any dial 166 is moved out of zero position, link 222 will act torock bell cranks 195 counterclockwise on their pivot shaft 196 toposition the notches 203 of cutolf slide 198 above the cut-off punches199. Thus said punches are disabled until the slide is again moved byaction of one of the bell cranks 190 to 193 according to the setting ofdial 165.

It will now be clear that the counter dials are returned toward theirzero or home position one digit each time the cut-oiT slide 198 is movedto its cut-otf position by one of the levers 185 to 188 respectivelythrough the bell cranks 195.

LOCATING HOLES It has been previously mentioned that location of thepunched coded holes, with respect to the marginal edges of the tag, isof little importance during subsequent sensing by a reader to interpretthe information represented by said punched holes. To this end aplurality of punches 225 (shown by full and dotted lines in Fig. 19) areprovided to punch a plurality of locating holes 226 (see Fig. 16) ineach tag or in each part of each tag in the event the tag is made up ofmultiple parts. The punches 225 are rigidly mounted in the stationaryplate 141, as shown in Fig. 19, and are arranged to punch a series oflocating holes 226 every time the bed plate 146 is elevated, or forevery machine cycle.

OPERATION In describing the operation of the present tag-marking machinelet it be assumed that one hundred single part tags are to be punchedand printed with information contained on the first line of receivingreport B shown in Fig. 1-5. An operatorproceeds by setting up thisinformation in the keyboard. This is accomplished by differentiallyshift-- ing the required keys 13 to 17 respectively to the valuepositions representing such information. This differential shifting ofthe keys automatically positions the printing wheels and sets the punchgags for proper printing and perforating of identical information uponeach and every one of the one hundred tags to be made. Next the operatorsets the counter dials 166 to read one hundred which automaticallyengages the feed lever 179 with ratchet 180 as previously explained.Lever 209 is then lowered, by depression of fingerpiece 215 to align theplates 207 and 208 and web W with the feeding arm 113 and 114respectively.

Dial is then set to position one and the starting button 161 isdepressed to engage the clutch 159. During the first six machine cyclesthe leading tag will be punched and printed in the steps shown fromright to left in Fig. 14. In other words it takes six machine cycles tocomplete the first tag but thereafter a complete one part tag is ejectedfrom the machine after every machine cycle until the counter dials reachtheir zero or home position, at which time the tag feeding operation isstopped as heretofore explained. ever dial 165 is set for two part tags,the counter and tag cut-ofi mechanisms operate only once for everysecond machine cycle, and when dial 165 is set for three part tags, thecounter and tag cut-off mechanisms operate only once for every threemachine cycles etc.

While a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerousvariations and modifications may be made in the particular constructionwithout departing from the underlying principles of the invention. It istherefore desired, by the following claims, to include within the scopeof the invention, all such variations and modifications wherebysubstantially the results of the in- It will now be clear that when l 1vention may be obtained by the use of substantially the :same orequivalent means.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a printing and perforating machine, the combination ofz-selectiveprinting and perforating devices simultaneously settable to print andperforate selective indicia one or more times on a single or multipletag unit severedfrom a web which is intermittently fed through themachine, said machine comprising intermittent feeding means for said weband tag unit; settable counter means to control the number ofsimultaneous printing and perforating impressions in varying cycles ofoperation to form said single or multiple tag unit; and meansintermittently operable to sever the single or multiple tag units fromsaid web under control of said settable counter means, the intermittentfeeding means continuing to feed the last completed single or multipletag unit out of the machine after feed of the web to the printing andperforating devices is discontinued.

2. In a printing and perforating machine, the combination of: selectiveprinting and perforating devicesslmultaneously settable to print andperforate selective indicia one or more times on tag parts, a selectednumber of which constitute a single or multiple tag unit which 'isintermittently fed through the machine, said machine comprisingintermittent feeding means for said single or multiple tag unit;settable counter means to control the number of simultaneous printingand perforating 11npressions in varying cycles of operation imparted tosaid single or multiple tag unit; the intermittent feeding meanscontinuing to feed the last completed tag unit out of the machine afterfeed of unprinted and unperforated tag units to the printing andperforating device is discontinued; and additional perforating meansbeing provided to perforate at least two locating holes in the tag unitin definite relation to the printed and perforated information appliedto the tag unit by said printing and perforating devices.

3. In a printing and perforating machine, the combination of: selectiveprinting and perforating devices simultaneously settable to print andperforate selective indicia one or more times on a single or multipletag unit severed from a web which is intermittently fed through themachine, said machine comprising control means to set the machine forproducing a single tag unit or multiple tag unit; intermittent feedingmeans for said web and tag unit; settable counter means to control thenumber of simultaneous printing and perforating impressions in varyingcycles of operation to form said single or multiple tag unit; means tosever the single or multiple tag unit from said web under control ofsaid settable counter means; the intermittent feeding means continuingto feed the last completed tag unit out of the machine after feed of theweb to the printing and perforating devices is discontinued; andadditional perforating means being pro- '.vided to perforate at leasttwo locating holes in each tag unit in definite relation to the printedand perforated information applied to the tag unit by said printing andperforating devices.

4. In a printing and perforating machine, the combination of: selectiveprinting and perforating devices simultaneously settable to print andperforate selective indicia one or more times on a single or multipletag unit severed from a Web which is intermittently fed through 'themachine, said machine comprising control means to set the machine forproducing a single tag unit or multiple tag unit; intermittent feedingmeans for said web and tag unit; settable counter means to controlthenumber of simultaneous printing and perforating impressions in varyingcycles of operation to form said single or multiple tag unit; meansintermittently operable to sever the single or :multiple tag units fromsaid web under control of said settable control means; the intermittentfeeding means con- :tinuing to feed the last completed tag unit out ofthe machine after feed of the web to'the printing and perforatingdevices is discontinued in each cycle of'operation; and additionalperforating means being provided to perforate at least two locatingholes in the tag unit in definite relation to the printed and perforatedinformation applied to the tag unit by said printing and perforatingdevices.

5. In a printing and perforating machine, the combination of: selectiveprinting and perforating devices simultaneously settable to print andperforate selective indicia one or more times on a single or multipletag unit severed from a web which is intermittently fed through themachine, said machine comprising settable control means including amanually settable dial to condition the machine for producing single ormultiple tag units; intermittent feeding means for said web and tagunit; settable counter means to control the number of simultaneousprinting and perforating impressions in varying cycles of operation toform said single or multiple tag unit; means intermittently operable tosever the single or multiple tag units from said web under control ofsaid manually settable dial; the intermittent feeding means continuingto feed the last completed tag unit out of the machine after feed of theweb to the printing and perforating devices is discontinued in eachcycle of operation; and additional perforating means being provided toperforate at least two locating holes in the tag unit in definiterelation to the printed and perforated information applied to the tagunit by said printing and perforating devices.

6. In a printing and perforating machine, the combination comprising:printing and perforating devices; means to set said devices tosimultaneously print and perforate one or more times on a partiallysevered web which is intermittently fed into the machine; intermittentfeed ing means for said web; a settable counter for predetermining thenumber of printing and perforating impressions to be made upon said webby said printing and perforating devices; cut-off means controlled bysaid counter to sever the web to form single or multiple tag units; andmeans cooperating with said counter and feeding means to feed thecompleted tag units from the machine after feed of the web to theprinting and perforating devices has been stopped.

7. In a printing and perforating machine of the class described, thecombination comprising: selective printing and perforating devicesincluding rotatable printing wheels and a plurality of rows of punches,said devices simultaneously settable to print and perforate single ormultiple tag units severed from a web which is intermittently fed intothe machine; intermittent feeding means for said web and tag units; amanually settable counter for predetermining the number of tag units tobe printed and perforated by said devices; means controlled by saidcounter to sever said tag units from said web; and means operable tocontinue the feed of the completed tag units from the machine after feedof the web into the machine has been stopped.

8. In a printing and perforating machine as set forth in claim 7 whereinadditional punching means is provided to form at least two locatingholes in each tag unit simultaneously with and in definite relation tothe printed and perforated information applied to said tag units by theprinting and perforating devices.

9. In a printing and perforating machine as specified in claim 1, inwhich the intermittent feeding means for said web and tag unit includesa pair of feed bars with means to move said bars into grippingengagement with said web and tag unit during their feeding stroke andout of engagement with said web and tag unit during their return stroke.I 10. In a printing and perforating machine as specified in claim 2, inwhich the additional perforating means, for perforating at least twolocating holes in the tag unit in definite relation to the printed andperforated information applied to the tag unit, is actuatedsimultaneously with said first named perforating devices.

11. Apparatus as in claim 2, in which the settable 13 counter meansincludes a plurality of rotatable and selectively settable counter dialswhich, upon return to the home position, after being moved therefrom,act to initiate means for discontinuing the feed of said [web] single ormultiple tag units into the machine.

12. In a printing and perforating machine of the class described, thecombination of: selective printing and perforating devicessimultaneously settable to print and perforate selective indicia one ormore times on tug ports, a selected number of which constitute a singleor multiple tag unit which is intermittently fed through the machine,said machine comprising intermittent feeding means for said single ormultiple tag unit; settable counter means to control the number ofsimultaneous printing and perforating impressions in varying cycles ofoperation imparted to said single or multiple tag unit; the intermittentfeeding means continuing to feed the last completed single or multipletag unit out of the machine after feed of unprinted and unperforated tagunits to the printing and perforating devices is discontinued; andadditional perforating means being provided to perforate at least twolocating holes in each tag part of the single or multiple tag unit indefinite relation to the printed and perforated information applied tothe tag unit by said printing and perforating devices.

13. In a printing and perforating machine, the combination of: selectiveprinting and perforating devices simultaneously settable to print andperforate information upon a succession of tag parts a selected numberof which form a tag which is severed from a web intermittently fedthrough the machine; said machine comprising intermittent feeding meansfor the web and tag ports; settable counter means to control the numberof printing and perforating impressions in forming tags; and means undercontrol of said settable counter means. intermittently operable to severa variable number of tag parts from said web, the intermittent feedingmeans continuing to feed the lust completed tag out of the machine afterfeed of the web to the printing and perforating devices is discontinued.

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